Collapsible box



H. P. EASTIVIAN.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLlcATloN FILED 001.20, 1920.

Patented oct. 18

PATsNT orFlcE.

HENRY EASTMAN, OF LIVINGSTON DIANOR, NEV YORK.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed October 20, 1920. Serial No. 418,154.

T o @ZZ 207mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. EAsTMAN,

va citizen of the United States, residing at .Livingston Manor, in thecounty of Sullivan,

and has for its object to provide a box, in Y which goods may be shippedand after the contents of the box is removed, said box may be easily andquickly taken apart and packed in a compact package for storage purposesor for return purposes.

A further obj ect is to provide a collapsible box comprising side, topand bottom members, said Vmembers having transversely disposed cleats,the ends of which extend beyond the members andare beveled and adaptedto engage adjacent beveled surfaces and to be secured together by rightangled disposed bolts extending through the adjacent ends of the cleats,said bolts not only forming means for holding the various members of thebox together, but also forming means for contracting the membersinwardly so that articles within the box will be held in close packedrelation, such for instance as apples which are generally packed in abarrel and the barrel top pressed into position by a press. The boltsalso form means whereby the ends of the collapsible box are held in`grooves adjacent the ends of the members forming the box.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown inthe drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the Vspirit of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the box showing one end thereof brokenaway and in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the box part being broken away to show theinterior construction.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the adjacentabutting ends of the end cleats showing the angularly disposed boltextending through said ends for holding the body members of the boxtogether.

F ig. l is an inside view of one of the body sections.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a rectangular shapedbody portion of a collapsible box, which body portion comp-rises the'topmember 2, the bottom member 3 and the side members 1. Each of themembers 2, 3 and l is formed from a plurality of boards, to which boardsare secured the end cleats 5 and the central cleats 6. Cleats 5 and 6have their ends beveled as shown at 7, however` the bevel surfaces atone side of each member start at points spaced from the edge 8, therebyforming resting -alaces 9, which places the edges 10 of adjacent bodymembers engage and are held in close engagement by bolts 11 which extendthrough apertures 12 of the adjacent abutting ends of the cleats 5 and6. apertures 12 beine; in the bottoms of counterbores 13, whichcounterbores receive the head and the nut of the bolt 11 and preventsaid bolt from becoming loose incident to handling of the box. The endsof the cleats 5 and 6 are braced against splitting by means oftransversely disposed rivets lill, thereby obviating the commondilliculty experienced in cleats which easily split under weatherconditions and under strain. Cleats 5 are provided with ribs 15, whichribs are received in grooves 16 adjacent the ends of the body members,said ribs being held in close engagement with a groove 16 by means ofrivets 17.

rllhe ends of the members 2, 3 and 4 are provided with transverselydisposed grooves 18, which grooves receive the edges of the rectangularshaped end members 19, said end members 19 being held in the grooves 18by the bolts 11. It will be seen that the contents of the collapsiblebox may be closely packed by filling the box with the bolts looseand'that by simply setting up on the bolts the members 2, 3 and d willbe drawn together, thereby causing the articles within the box to beclosely packed together. The above is particularly advantageous in thecase of apples which are at present packed in barrels, and the headsofthe barrels forced into position by press, which press holds the headuntil it is secured in place.

When it is desired to store the box or ship the same, it will be seenthat it will only be necessary for the operator to secure a screw Ysodriver and remove the bolts. This will disconnect the members 2, 3 and Afrom each other and release the ends 19, thereby disassembling theentire box. VThe members forming the box may be stacked on each otherinto a compact package, the ends placed between any of the cleats andthe stack so formed secured together in any suitable matter. It is to beunderstood that applicant does not limit himself to any particulararrangement of the various members of the box for reshipping or forstorage purposes.

The invention havingbeen set forth what is claimed as new and useful isl. A collapsiblebox comprising side, bottom and top sections, saidsections being provided with transversely disposed cleats adjacent theirends and centrally thereof, said cleats extending beyond the edges ofthe members to which they are secured and having theiry ends beveledsubstantially at degrees, right angled apertures in the ends of thecleats, said apertures being so positioned that they will register witheach other when the ends of the cleats are brought together, and boltspassing through said apertures and forming means for holding the sides,top and bottom of the box together.

2. A collapsible box comprising sides, ends, atop and a bottom, saidsides, top and bottom being provided with transverselyV disposed cleatshaving their ends extending beyond the edges of the same and beveled atsubstantially 45 degrees, the beveled edges `of onerend of the cleats ofeach member being spaced from the edge 0f said member thereby forming aresting place for the edge of the adjacent member, the ends of themembers forming the body of the box being provided with grooves on theinterior faces thereof, said grooves being adapted to receive themarginal edges of the ends, angularlv disposed bolts extending throughthe adjacent beveled ends of the cleats, said bolts forming means forcontracting the sections of the body of the box together and alsoforming means for holding the ends of the box in position and allowingthe box to be easily and quickly collapsed.

8. A collapsible box comprising a body portion having removable endstherein, said body portion being formed from rectangular n shapedmembers having transversely disposed cleats adjacent' their ends andcentrally thereof,the ends of said cleats extending beyond the marginaledges of the members and beveled at substantially 45 degrees, angularlydisposed aperturesV inthe beveled ends of the cleats, said apertureshaving their outer ends counterbored and bolts 'extending through saidaperturesand having their ends disposed through said counterbores.

In. testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY P. EASTMAN.

Witnesses ALBERT KRONE, NnLLm H. Mor'r.

